Bonds
by Caitriona3
Summary: Slavery is nothing new to Darcy even if she is the youngest of her new companions. She's got experience to equal their years, but even she is going to be surprised at what is coming their way. Alternate universe fic - Slavery fic - Rating may be too high, but I want to be safe as there may be some graphic stuff in later chapters.
1. On the Road to Market

_Author's Note - The rating may be too high, but considering the topic and its potential, I wanted to be safe. Yes, I know, another story. The main benefit is that I have most of them all outlined out now, and I'm trying to give myself a variety to help offset the months' long writer's block from happening again. So if my brain starts insisting on writing something, I do it. I post it so I have you to keep me motivated to write._

**On the Road to Market**

Darcy rolled her eyes as the cart seemed determined to hit every possible bump in the road. A passing rider spat at the driver for going so slow, but the man ignored him and kept plodding along. She closed her eyes and tried to let the noise wash over her, wanting to sleep before getting to the city. Her companions on this lovely little journey did not feel the same.

"Apparently I'm volatile and don't play well with others." This random announcement came from a young dark haired male in the opposite corner. Darcy glanced at him and raised her eyebrows. He smiled wanly. "It's why I'm here."

She just shrugged, but the other male, still young, but this one a big blond, spoke up. "Truly? I lost my place due to my size. The mistress grew fearful though I have never threatened harm to any woman." He looked across the cart to Darcy and the other female, a tall red-head. "And you?"

The red-head blinked once as she apparently considered ignoring the question before informing him in a cool tone, "My family required the funds. I am the youngest and provided least for my family."

Everyone turned to Darcy. "What?" she asked shortly, scowling at them.

"How did you come to join this company?" asked the blond male. "We have offered our reasons."

"Wasn't planning on contributing," she told him. He gave her a confused look and she sighed. "Oh, good gods, I'm here because I refused to share the firstborn's bed and fought him off."

"This is a possibility?" the red-head asked. "Being required to share their beds?"

Darcy slanted a look at her. The redhead was older than her, but apparently a lot more sheltered. "I feel old. You are new to this, aren't you?" She gave a disdainful sniff before turning to face her more directly. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a slave can be given any command. Punishment for disobedience is up to the master." One shoulder lifted in resignation. "At least I'm only being resold. It's better than most punishments." Her nose scrunched lightly. "I'm pretty sure the mistress kept it mild."

"Why would she do that?" the other woman asked.

"Because her son's got a nasty temper and she knows it," Darcy replied, closing her eyes. "One more death in their house, even of a slave, and the law will snatch him away. She can't let that happen, so instead of usual punishments, off I go to the market."

"'Usual' punishments?" the big blond asked, a frown settling on his face.

"Sure," she shrugged. "It all depends on what he's in the mood for – blood, sex, terror, all of the above." Her eyes grew dark for a moment. "Slaves only have as many legal rights as their masters allow them. You have to know that." Then she glanced at the redhead. "Except maybe for her…she's new."

"I was being trained as a gladiator for the arena," he explained.

Darcy frowned. "And they sold you for getting too big? Isn't that what a gladiator is supposed to do?"

He shrugged before offering her a smile. "I am called Thor."

"Tony," the dark haired male offered before looking back at her. "You fought and apparently injured their son and all they're doing is selling you?"

"If they let him kill me, it would be the fifth death in a month," she replied straightforwardly. "Even the most corrupt local lawman is going to have a hard time swallowing that one. Five in a year? Sure. Five in a month? No way." She yawned and caved to the inquiring look from Thor. "Darcy."

"Natasha," the red-head introduced herself. Her eyes narrowed. "What is the market going to be like?"

"Noisy, smelly, and crowded," Darcy replied.

"Smelly?" Tony tilted his head in question.

Darcy shrugged. "Lots of different kinds of slaves," she explained. "Field workers, miners, and galley slaves…people nobody really worry about keeping clean. As long as they look strong and healthy, who cares if they're dirty or not?" She ran an experienced eye over her three companions. "You," she pointed at Thor, "have got a pretty good shot at being snapped up by someone wanting to break into the Games." Then she spread her hands in a helpless kind of gesture. "I don't know about you two," she told the others. "Got any skills?"

"Give me stuff and a place to work and I can build anything," Tony replied first. Darcy lifted an eyebrow at him. "I'm serious," he insisted. "I created all kinds of useful things for the family."

"But they sold you?" Natasha asked.

"Well," he hedged a little before a mischievous smile crept over his face. "I might have burned down a couple of workshops before I got something to work the first time. Then their son decided he could build stuff and it wasn't as good as mine. I tried to tell him where he was going wrong, but he didn't listen and he blew his workshop up. I told him that was a bad mixture."

"Great," Darcy sighed. "Try to swallow the ego when people are looking at you."

"Why?" Thor's eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

"Not you," she told him. "Gladiators are supposed to have egos. Other slaves have to balance them. If you don't get bought, they send you out to the salt mines. People don't make it long in them."

"What else should we do?"

Natasha's question made Darcy think for a moment. "Stay back and stay quiet," she told them. "Get the feel of the place first. Don't jump to show off for just anyone. You don't want to sell too fast."

"Why not?" Tony demanded.

"Too fast means a lower price," she explained. "Lower prices mean less worth. It's a balancing thing. The best time for selling is midmorning or early afternoon. Midmorning means the new owners have been doing some definite considering as they walk through; it means they consider the purchase of decent to good worth."

"So?" he asked, still confused.

"Were you raised in that household?" She rolled her eyes. All three of her companions were older than her, but none of them seemed to have a pinch of her experience. "The more you are worth, the better care and privileges you get. Sell too cheap, and you get treated the same way. Your placement is going to match your price."

Thor spoke up before the other man could speak again. "Why early afternoon?"

"That usually means they've been haggling or talking over the noon meal. It's another good sign of worth, even better than midmorning. So, about an hour before, you want to start really showing off any skills you can. But," she looked at Tony, "keep a rein on both your ego and your mouth."

Natasha shifted, focusing even more intently on Darcy's face. "I am a trained assassin. How do I promote that?"

"Oh, well that's going to be a tough one." Darcy pursed her lips. "Let me think about it." She considered the question for a long moment. "Watch the buyers," she finally said. "Listen to what they're asking or saying. People come to the market looking for all sorts. You'll probably hear someone who is looking for your type of work. That's when you can call out, drawing his or her attention to you. Use a good, but not your best skill as a draw. If they decide to talk to you, dribble out some more about skills, sticking to small and medium level abilities. They'll have to think about it. You might be able to get a couple into a bidding war. That would be your best bet overall.

A loud banging on the side of the wagon broke up the conversation. "Wake up, you lot! Market just ahead!"

"Now the fun begins," Darcy grumbled sarcastically. Her eyes cut over to Natasha, the other woman's inexperience prodding at her conscience. "They're going to poke and prod when they're looking. Try not to kill anyone." The red-head stilled and Darcy shook her head. Moving to crouch directly in front of the other girl, Darcy clasped her shoulders and gave a small shake. "Stay calm. Go cold. Hide yourself somewhere in your mind. Whatever you have to do. Just don't react."

Natasha gave a slow nod, something dark and desperate flickering in the depths of her eyes. "No man has ever-" Her voice broke off and she took a deep breath. "I haven't… I have never…"

"Damn," Darcy grimaced. "Assassins don't ever have to seduce?" She lifted one of her hands. "Don't answer that." Reaching out with her free hand, she brushed back Natasha's hair. She looked around, meeting the eyes of both of the men as well. "Damn, damn, damn," she muttered, shoulders slumping for a moment. "I am not a babysitter." A long, low sigh hissed between her lips. "Okay, look, just stick with me, alright? Follow my lead and let me see what I can do."

The wagon jostled to a stop and the rear hatch opened only moments later. "Out!" ordered the overseer. "Time for market!"


	2. Pitching the Sale

_Author's Note: Reminder – this IS an AU. Things will not match canon._

Darcy leaned against the bars at the corner of the holding pen. The ebb and flow of the slave market whirled around them as she watched. The morning passed in a slow, dragging fashion, but at least it cleared out some of the dregs and gave them a little room to move and breathe. Her gaze shifted from the buyers wandering through the pens with their calculating eyes to her unexpected companions. Thor sat on the floor near her, his back to the bars as he dozed in the little sunlight available to them. She admitted being grateful for linking up with him. His size kept the other slaves from trying to drive them out of their spot. Most of the pen rested in the shadow of the surrounding buildings, but their corner afforded them both sunlight and a breeze.

Tony and Tasha crouched in a shaft of that light holding a hushed argument over some design for an arm sheath. Tasha's weapon of choice consisted of a small dagger she called a 'stinger'. Tony thought he could design a sheath she could wear up her sleeve with a hidden release mechanism. Now the two of them debated size, materials, and even the feasibility of the entire project. Darcy shook her head as she listened to them. If the two of them were ever paired up anywhere, they'd either kill each other or level the place.

How did she end up with this group again?

Oh, right, her bleeding heart.

"I have not seen much promise in the stock today."

Her head turned at the calm voice laced with irritation. Two buyers stood nearby and watched the current haggling going on at the auction block. An older man with the bearing of a warrior and the gold rope of a senator stood next to a tall, willowy woman with an unusual shade of red-blonde hair. Her copper rope denoted a citizen of low birth, but given their bodily positions, Darcy would wager she was either a freed slave of his or a lover – current or former. Neither wore the bracelets of wedlock and their proximity was too close for even siblings.

The woman lifted a brow in curiosity. "What do you need most, Phil?"

"What don't I need," he muttered before ticking items off on one hand. "I need a guard for Jane, first and foremost. Someone who will protect her from outside threats as well as her own tendency to get so lost in her studies that she forgets to eat." Affection laced his tone despite the exasperation in his words.

"Agreed," his companion laughed. "What else?"

"Someone who can spar with Steve and James," he replied after a moment's thought. His lips almost formed a smile when confusion filled her expression. "They've only had each other for too long, Pepper," he explained. "They're used to each other – they don't adequately test each other any longer. I need someone who can handle them and give them a contest worth of them."

Darcy's interest began to grow even as Pepper frowned. "You may need to go to the gladiator school for that."

"I know," he grumbled, "but I'm hoping not to have to spend such an outrageous sum for someone I don't intend to put into the arena." He fell silent for a moment, but then ticked of a third finger. "I also need someone to distract and challenge Bruce." Pepper's wince drew an actual smile this time. "Hopefully with two of them, they might keep each other from blowing things up so often."

"Or they will cause twice as many explosions!" she exclaimed.

Phil shrugged. "Then I shall have to put them into their own workshop," he allowed. "I am not going to let Bruce run off and possibly get himself killed because of something he did not cause. And if I don't find someone who can equal him in intelligence and inquisitiveness, we will lose him to his depression."

"I know," Pepper replied, her hand reaching out to rest on his arm. He covered it for a brief moment, nodding his thanks. Darcy's mind began racing during the silence that stretched between them. She even opened her mouth to call out, but closed it when Phil seemed about to speak again.

"I also need someone both stubborn enough and…nurturing enough to make sure the men take care of themselves. I am still not sure how I ended up with such a collection of people who can be both supremely capable of doing their job while still being so…" His voice trailed off as he shook his head.

"So unwilling to believe themselves worthy of care?" Pepper offered.

"Exactly," he sighed. "It is an impossible task, and yet I need it done." His eyes shifted to the auction block once more. "And I have yet to find anyone who would fit any of those places."

_Now_ Darcy lifted her voice. "Then you've been looking in the wrong places, Senator."

Two pairs of blue eyes turned to focus on her. She let herself lounge against the bars, a smile curving her lips as Phil stepped closer. He looked her up and down, and she had to give him credit for not detouring to her more…salient features before fixing on her eyes once more. "You are quite forward," he noted.

"I suppose," she shrugged, "but I can help you and maybe get a bonus bump on my price. What's to lose?"

"If you fail or I don't approve of your suggestions, you will go down in price," he reminded her.

Her smile widened. "Trust me, Senator," she told him, "if I thought that was even a possibility, I would never have spoken up."

Phil went silent, but his gaze remained steady on hers. She could almost hear the wheels clicking in his mind as he turned over the idea, and she could see the agreement slide into his face. "Very well then," he nodded, "which problem do you suppose you can assist me with?"

"Oh, no, Senator," she demurred, "not 'which' problem. I can help you with all of the ones you listed."

"Let me see your proof." He folded his hands over his chest even as a calculated interest began to flicker in his eyes. Pepper came up beside him, her eyes alight with her own curiosity.

"Right," she rubbed her hands together. "The first thing you mentioned was a guard for a woman named Jane."

"My niece."

Darcy nodded. "Family then, and important. What about a trained guild assassin?"

"You'll never find one of those in the pens," he retorted, his lips turning down.

"They've been hit as badly as any others by the drought in those areas," she argued. "I can show you a guild assassin, marked and everything. She's here because her family was in need." His eyebrow went up in a silent challenge and she smirked as she turned. "Tasha?"

"Darcy," Tasha nodded, standing just behind her. Darcy forced herself not to jump, but she did give Tasha a dirty look.

"Sneaky," she grumbled before clearing her throat. "Show him."

Tasha moved her clothing just enough to show the guild tattoo on her hip – a spider's web in vivid blood red along the inside of her hip. 

Surprise flashed across Phil's face and then it moved back into stoic lines. "And the others?"

"There's Thor," Darcy jerked a thumb over her shoulder. As she watched Phil's eyes move back and up, she continued, "He was training for the arena, but got big enough to worry the lady of the house."

"You can fight though?" Phil demanded.

Thor nodded. "I have been undefeated since I was a boy. I would like to be challenged once more."

"Interesting," Phil commented before looking back towards Darcy once more. The calculated interest had returned to his eyes.

"Tony…" Her voice trailed off as she realized Tony was still designing on the pen floor. She rolled her eyes and went over to shake his shoulder.

"In a minute." He shook her off, but before he could begin drawing once more, she grabbed his earlobe and hauled him over to the bars.

"Meet Tony," she told Phil in a deadpan tone. "He's an inventor with an apparently distressing habit of blowing things up."

"It only happens once in a while!" Tony argued, not pulling away from her hold and looking ridiculous as he tried to level a glare at her.

She level a dirty look at him. "Once in a while doesn't lead you down here."

Phil stepped closer, almost to the bars. "And you're the caretaker?"

"Pretty much," she sighed, letting go of Tony's ear. He rubbed at it, sliding back to his design with mumbles of annoyance. "I've taken care of the dependents of a household, kids and elders, most of my life." Another grin flashed over her face. "I'm also stubborn, very stubborn."

"Pepper?" Phil asked, his gaze never leaving Darcy's face.

"It's a risk," she replied in a quiet tone, "but then any purchase would be. Surely it would not hurt to examine them at least?"

His gaze moved over them one more time before he turned and gave Pepper a long, slow nod. She smiled and moved away, heading for the owner's stall. Phil looked them over. "I shall see how the inspection goes," he told them. "Should it go well, I may take you."

Darcy leaned on the bars once more, satisfaction glittering in her eyes. "I'm not the least bit worried."


	3. Making a Deal

_Author's Note: Forcing words through writer's block – or whatever is bugging me – is tough. Sorry and thank you for sticking with me._

**Making A Deal**

Darcy repressed a growl at the slave master's roving hands he brought them all out for inspection, but she needed to keep him away from Tasha if possible. Part of her brain still snarled at her for being so stupid and soft-hearted in adopting the odd trio instead of looking out for herself first, but… Then she forced the thought out of her head. For good or ill she had cast her lots with these three – and she would damn well make sure it was for good. Even if it meant putting up with sweating, grabby hands.

"Should keep you around for myself," he muttered, patting her ass one last time before turning to face the senator with a slimy, obsequious look, missing her moue of distaste altogether.

A fact which did not escape her potential new owner. Phil lifted a brow before nodding at the man.

"All of them are fine specimens, Senator," he grinned. "All of them strong and pleasing to the eye. Healthy too! Not so much as a sniffle between them. Obedient creatures," he continued, waving a hand at them. "Few if any scars." His glittering gaze fixed on Darcy and Tasha as he barked at all of them. "Unclothe! Inspection!"

She felt Tasha freeze behind her, but Darcy pulled off her tunic, standing naked and unbowed before the eyes of the nearby crowd. From the corner of her eye she noticed Thor do the same. Both of them had been through a similar process before and knew it did no good to hesitate. Tasha began moving and she heard people gasp. If she had to guess, she would presume they spotted the other woman's tattoo. A fierce, swift conversation broke out among some of the people and Darcy had to fight back a smirk. If Phil did not snap them up soon, Tasha's price would jump. He seemed smarter than that; so did Pepper. This just might work.

Tony must have undressed as well since their current owner, Cornelius, did not start shouting or screaming. Instead he began pointing out their physical qualities – using his hands when he could get away with it. She could see a hint of disgust rising in the senator's eyes which gave his worth a boost in her mind. Cornelius moved on to Tasha. _Don't kill him, Tasha. Don't break him. _The thoughts went on a repeating cycle in her brain. If everyone could just stay calm and cool, they might all get through this alive.

"Get dressed." Phil snapped out the order.

The four of them dressed in record time and Darcy bit back a laugh at Cornelius' disgruntled expression. No slave ever hurried that much for him or his orders. It made him look weak.

"Well, Senator," he moved back to fawning over Phil. "What do you think?"

"I think-."

Screams erupted on the other side of the square as a roar split the air. People turned and then began to scatter. Something came striding into the market. Phil and Pepper seemed to go still, freezing in place at the massive shadow. Darcy could empathize. That thing seemed the size of a monster of legend, of the stories of the gods and their interactions with humanity. But then…it stepped into the light. It looked like it might have been a man – once. Now it looked like one of the accursed – tall, big, and ugly. A man turned into a monster – a man forced to a giant's size without the proper dimensions being translated to his new form. She could feel herself shrinking away from it.

So why did the senator and his woman sigh in relief?

The enraged… Had it been a man? What was it now? Whatever it was, it seemed to focus on Phil. It threw back its head and roared its fury to the sky. Its hands curled into fists, the skin pulling ever tauter across its massive malformed chest. The large head came down and it looked like a bull in the ring.

Not to mention the rest of them.

"Thor!" Darcy snapped out the name. The gladiator-in-training rushed forward like an arrow as if the shout of his name released the tension on a fine strung bow. He met the creature…man…whatever – the _brute_ – head-on, grappling with it. His muscles strained and bunched, standing out in vivid relief as he pushed the creature back. Her eyebrows went up. "Huh…suddenly I get why he's never been beaten." She could hear whispers and giggles – from people in hiding, looking out windows, or creeping back into the square. Thor's price just took a jump as well. If she listened hard enough she might even hear the clink of coins in Cornelius's mind.

Then Tasha darted forward. Her hand clasped a rock which she released in a throw of deadly accuracy. It smashed into the creature's temple, angering the brute and turning his attention towards this new threat. He pivoted and spun away from Thor before angling towards Tasha.

"You have got to be kidding me," Darcy muttered before reaching out to grab Pepper and pull her back. "Did I say 'Tasha'? Did I even suggest she run into that mess?" She pushed the other woman at Tony before ushering them into a more sheltered area. Another spot would be better – this felt too much like a potential trap if the brute got away from the others, but the only other place she could reach was the cage. No way would she drag Pepper in there.

Phil pulled a dagger from the gods only knew where and stood in front of them, blocking them from the fight.

Not that the fight lasted much longer. Tasha used an assassin's grace to stay out of the brute's hands, letting him wear himself out while Thor came in as a heavy hitter. They brought the brute down and left him unconscious in the streets for the local law – or maybe the legions – to remove. The two of them returned to the group – Thor beaming and all but bouncing in his excitement while Tasha wore a satisfied little smile.

"You see!" Cornelius, having crawled out of his hiding place, popped up beside Phil. "You see – quality goods. They are worth a steep price, yes?"

The haggling began.

Tony listened for a few minutes before he shifted around Darcy and stepped up to Phil's side. "You know," he said, tilting his head as he regarded the slave master, "you really should be paying him to take us away. I mean, did you see that fight? Red's not exactly what you'd call a safe woman to mess with and you've been giving her looks ever since she got in the wagon. Can you imagine what would happen if she hit you with a rock like she did that thing?" He waved towards the still unconscious brute.

Cornelius shifted, the unease growing in his eyes as they landed on Tasha's cold, remote expression.

"And then there's Thor. Yeah, he just won a big fight, but you have to wonder how high you can make his price. Once it reaches a certain point, doesn't the gladiator school have to become involved?"

Darcy glanced at Tasha and raised an eyebrow as they listened to the men negotiate. "When the hell did he become an expert at this?" She did her best to keep her voice low, but Tony seemed to hear her.

He turned and gave her a quick smile. "This morning."

It kept up like that for a while, Tony helping Phil keep the price reasonable, but also making sure to keep the price a little higher than average. Darcy could only shake her head. Now she began to worry about the potential of explosions – especially if this 'Bruce' person was just as bad. Or was that as 'good' as Tony?

In the end, however, the status of the senator gave him the victory. Cornelius accepted Phil's money with a good deal of bowing and scraping and sighing. "It is hard - letting such valuable slaves go for such a low price, but, of course, my respect for you, senator, leaves me no option." He scowled at the four of them as he passed, but remembered to offer Pepper a short bow.

Phil gave all four of them a cool eyed look before he focused on Darcy. "One betrayal," he warned, "and you four will be back here and headed for the salt mines."

"Nobody's betraying anybody," Darcy shot back, an equal confidence in her tone. "And nobody's going to fail either." Her mind began flitting through various ideas on how to keep an eye on the other three just to be safe, but her surface attention never left the senator. She began ticking items off on her fingers. "Guard the girl, challenge your resident fighters and apparent genius, and make sure people eat, sleep, and see the sun once in a while. Did I miss anything?"

"No, that should do it," Pepper replied when Phil remained silent.

"Then there shouldn't be a problem," Darcy shrugged. "I'll guarantee it."

"Guarantee?" The corners of Phil's mouth twitched as though a smile hid behind them. "Rather a large promise to make."

"It's not like I can prove my qualifications here," she replied, "but I think the others have, don't you?"

"We shall see," he inclined his chin. Then his gaze softened as it swept over Pepper. "Though you've made a good start." Phil walked away, murmuring to Pepper about making arrangements for their return to the estate.

Darcy gestured at the others, leading them in following their new owner. She could feel some tension flowing out of her shoulders. They passed the first test – getting a good price. Now to see if they could handle the pressure of fulfilling the duties for which they had been bought. They had a good chance – she could see that now.

She still offered up a prayer – just in case.


End file.
